Refrigerating apparatus with moisture control means



2 Sheets-Sheet l July 17, 1956 L.. A. PHILIPP RETRIGERATING APPARATUSWITH MOISTURE CONTROLJ MEANS Filed March 24, 1954 A TTPNEY v July 17,1956 A. PHILIPP 2,754,662

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS WITH MOISTURE CONTROL MEANS Filed March 24, 19542 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN1/EN TOR. 4MM/fa 7b4/L /PP United States Patent OREFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS WITH MOISTURE CONTROL MEANS Lawrence A.Philipp, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash- Kelvinator Corporation,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Application March 24, 1954,Serial No. 418,373

Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates generally to refrigeratingapparatus and particularly to home freezers.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending applicationSerial No. 342,911, filed March 17, 1953, for Refrigerating Apparatus,now abandoned,

It is an object of my invention to provide for a freezer an improved lidconstruction to effect diffusion of moisture therefrom to the end ofpreserving the effectiveness of the lid heat insulation.

Another object of my invention is to provide for a freezer, an improvedlid construction including an electric light mounting and a moistureventing arrangement to induce moisture laden air to flow out of the lidat the light mounting to the cold interior surfaces of the freezer.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a freezer lid, animproved latch which is economical to manufacture and eicient inoperation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement ofa latch and freezer lid for effectively and conveniently latching andunlatching the freezer lid.

Another object of the invention resides in the novel cooperativearrangement of a latch and lock therefor on a freezer lid.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a home freezer lid, animproved arrangement of a lid counter-balance operable to raise the lid,and a spring loaded lid latch of a character such that a person havingboth hands occupied, for example, carrying packages to the freezer, maybump the latch in such a way as to release the lid for raising by thecounterbalance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved arrangementof a home freezer lid counterbalance on the cabinet such that thecounterbalance will be efficient without being an obstruction to theuser.

. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present inventionis clearly shown.

In the drawings: l

Fig. l is a plan View of a home freezer, embodying features of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is afront view of the home freezer;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the home freezer lid, taken alongthe line 3-3 of Fig. l; 4

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the lid having parts broken away and insection;

Fig. S is an enlarged fragmentary view of a detail of the lidconstruction;

p Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lid, taken along theline 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the home freezer showing thelid in open position;

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary vertical sectional views of the homefreezer, taken respectively along lines 8 8 and 9--9 of Fig. 2;

Fig, l() is a vertical sectional view of the home freezer and lidcounterbalance;

Fig. l1 is a fragmentary rear view of the home freezer and lidcounterbalance; and

Figs. 12 and 13 are cross-sectional views of the counterbalance, takenrespectively along the lines 12-12 and 13-13 of Fig. l0.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 20designates in general a freezer cabinet of the home, food freezer typehaving a front wall 22, rear wall 24, and end walls 26. An accessopening in the top of the cabinet is closed by a lid 28 which is hingedto the cabinet rear wall 24 by spaced hinges 30. Each of the hinges 30comprises an upper hinge butt 32 which is secured to the rear edge ofthe lid 28, and a lower hinge butt 34 which is secured to the cabinetrear wall 2.4.

The lid 28 includes an outer casing 36 and an inner panel 38 whichtogether form a hollow lid structure of general rectangular shape. Heatinsulation 40 is provided in the hollow lid 28 to decrease heat seepageinto the cabinet. The casing 36 may be made of sheet material such assheet steel, and the inner panel 38 is preferably made of a low heatconductive sheet plastic material. Around its periphery, the casing 36has a flange 42 formed with a flange reinforcing portion and seat 44 forthe inner panel 38. A seal 46 lits onto a margin of the inner panel 38,and the seal and panel 38 are attached to the casing reinforcing flangeportion 44. Sheet metal screws (not shown) or any other suitable means,may be used to attach the panel 38 and seal 46 to the lid casing 36.

In order that access may be conveniently had to the interior of thecabinet 20, I provide a readily relcasable latch 50 for the lid and alid counterbalance in the form of two thrust devices 52 which areadapted to raise the' lid to full open position upon release of thelatch 50. The counterbalance thrust devices 52 are mounted in spacedrelation on the cabinet rear wall and are arranged to act on the lid 28respectively through the lid hinges 30. The latch 50 is mounted on thefront edge of the lid 2S and in latched position cooperates with akeeper 54 which is secured to the cabinet front wall below the latch.

Each of the counterbalance thrust devices 52 comprises in general anabutment or nut 56, a thrust member or coil spring 58, and a forcetransmitting member or strap 60. The nut 56 is connected to the cabinet20; the strap 60 is connected to the lid 28; and the spring 58 is undercompression between the nut and strap, acting to raise the lid 28. Thenut 56 is held to the cabinet by a vertical rod 62 onto the upper end ofwhichl the nut is screwthreaded, and by a bracket 64 which in thepresent construction is integral with and extends downwardly from thehinge leaf 34.` At its lower end, the bracket 64 has an outturned leg 66which is provided with a clearance aperture to receive the rod, and therod has a head 68 that engages the underside of the leg 66 to limitupward movement of the rod by the spring 58. The strap 60 has ahorizontal base or web 70 which is apertured to receive the rod 62 andagainst which the spring thrust is directed. Upper and lower springretainers 72 and 74 respectively are preferably provided for the ends ofspring 58, the upper retainer 72 preferably being secured such as bywelding to the nut 56. Extending upwardly from the strap base 70 areoppositely disposed strap members 75 which are pivotally connected attheir upper ends by a pin 76 to spaced rearwardly extending lever arms78 that are integral with the lid hinge butt 32. As shown, the strapmembers 75 are channel-shape to give added rigidity to the straps, andthe spring retainers 72 and 74 are also channel-shape to fitcomplementary to the straps so as to prevent turning of the retainers 72and 74. A sheet metal cover 80 is preferably provided to cover thespring 58 and strap. It will be understood that by turning rod 62, thevertical position of the spring abutment or nut 56 may be changed, thusto change the thrust of the spring 58'.

The latch 50 has a latch member 82 which is mounted on the front edge ofthe lid 28 by a bracket 84. As shown in Fig'. 8, the bracket 84 may be acasting, shaped to conform to the rounded front edge of the lid and maybe securely held to the' lid by screws 86. In the present construction,the bracket S4 is formed with rearwardly extending bosses 8S whichproject into the lid Casing 36 and are held by the screws 86 to sheetmetal brackets 910' that may be welded or be otherwise secured to thelid casing'. The bracket 84 is recessed in its front face o`r hashorizontal spaced bosses 92 between which the latch member 82 ispositioned and to which the latch member is pivotally connected by'ahorizontal pivot pin 94. As shown in Fig. 9', the latch member 82carries a catch 96 at its lower end, and a coil spring 98 acts againstthe upper lever arrn of the latch member 82 to urge the catch 96 intoholding relation with the underside of the keeper 54. A slanted camsurface 100 on the front of the keeper 54 is engaged by the catch 96 onclosing of the lid, andv to reduce friction between the parts, a rollertype of catch is preferably used. Proper position of the latch member 82to engage the cam s'urface 190 on closing the lid is assured byproviding a stop 102 on the latch bracket to engage and limit movementof the upper end of the latch member 82 by the spring 9S Carried by andadjacent the top of the lid is a key operated lock `having the usuallock barrel 104 and rotatable lock bolt 106. The lock barrel 104 issecured in and to the front edge of the lid and the bolt 106 is arrangedso that when in locked position it engages the upper end of the latchmember 82 to prevent release of the latch member from the keeper 54. Akey receiving aperture 108 is provided in the latch member 82 inalignment with the key slot of the lock barrel 104. Surrounding theaperture 108 is one end of the spring 98 arranged to abut the latchmember 82, and the other end of the spring 98 surrounds the lock barrel104 and seats against the lock bolt 106. As shown in Fig. 9, the latchmember 84 is pivoted substantially midway of its ends to providesuitable leverage in the upper arm such that a user may readily releasethe latch by bumping against the upper lever arm.

When the latch 84 is released, the potential compression force of thecounterbalance springs 58 is released and acts through the hinges 30 toraise the lid 28. The springs exert their maximum force in starting thelifting motion of the lid, but as the springs expend their force and theangularity f the lid changes the motion of the lid decreasescorrespondingly as the lid approaches fully open position. Adjustment ofdeceleration of the lid may be made by the spring adjusting rod 62 sothat the lid comes to rest with an easy gradual action. Fully openposition of the lid is established by the under edges of the lever arms78 engaging the lower hinge butts 34 as stops.

Within the lid 28 I provide an electric lamp 110, and arrange the lampto light the interior of the cabinet when the lid is raised. A mercurytilt switch 112 controls the circuit of the lamp 110 and is mounted on abracket 114 which is secured to the lid panel 33. In the lid panel 38is'an opening which receives a bracket and light reflector 1 16 thatcarries a socket 113 for the lamp 110, and attached to the panel 38 overthe opening therein is a grille 120. A space 122 free of insulation inthe lid is provided to accommodate the reflector 116 and the mercur'yswitch 112, and between the lamp and the casing top, a panel of low heatconducting insulation 124 is provided to compensate for the lack ofinsulation in the vicinity of the lamp.

With particular reference to Figs. and 6, it will be seen that the lampreflector 116 has an outturned seating ange 126 which rests on the lidpanel 38 around the lamp opening, and in the ange 126 is a plurality ofoutlets 128 for emission of moisture by diffusion from the lid. Moistureentrained in room air enters the lid because of manufacturing tolerancesprincipally at the latch and hinge mountings and, as is well known,decreases the effectiveness of the insulation. Flow of moisture bydiffusion from the lid through outlets 128 is effected by thedifferential of moisture pressure between the interior of the lid andthe cold surfaces of the interior of the storage space. As shown in Fig.6 a passageway 130 extends transverse to the openings 128 forcommunication therewith and is formed by folding a strip of perviousmaterial 131 and cementing its edges to the top and bottom surfaces ofthe lid panel 38. The pervious material is preferably formed of fabric,such as muslin or the like, however a ne metallic or plastic screeningmay be used that will allow passage of moisture laden air and retain theinsulation from passage therethrough. Inorder to insure moisture flowfrom remote points in the lid to the outlets 128, I provide passageforming members 132 in the lid, leading from the front corners of thelid to points adjacent the passageways extended to overlie and intersecta respective passage forming member 132. Preferably screening formed intriangular cross-section is used to form the passages so that moisturemay enter the passages at any point along the lengths thereof to passinto passageway 130, thence through openings 128 and through grille 120for disposal in the storage space of the freezer. In addition, a pair ofbreather holes 134 is preferably provided in the lid panel 38 to furtheraid in relieving the interior of the lid of moisture laden air fordisposal on the cold liner surfaces of the freezer.

From the foregoing description, it will now be understood that I haveprovided an improved freezer lid constructed to effect diffusion ofmoisture therefrom to maintain the eiciency of the lid insulation andthat I have arranged for emission of the moisture at a grille for a lampwhich is arranged on the underside of the lid to light the interior ofthe cabinet upon raising of the lid. Also, it will be understood that Ihave provided for convenient access to the cabinet by arranging for thecabinet lid to be automatically raised upon release of its latch whichmay be effected by bumping one of its lower arms.

Further, I have provided an improved latch which is efficient inoperation and inexpensive to manufacture. In addition, I have providedan improved counterbalance for the lid of a character adapted to raisethe lid from closed to open position with decreasing speed of movementof the lid as the lid approaches fully open position.

Any suitable refrigerating system may be employed to providerefrigeration' for the freezer cabinet. Preferably a coiled refrigerantconduit (not shown) is used to surround the food compartment of thecabinet to freeze the contents of the compartment. This provides forcold wall surfaces in the food compartment immediately below the cabinetlid.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated,and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilledin the art that various modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigeratingapparatus cabinet having a cooling element, an outer rectangular casing,an inner rectangular panel closing said casing to form a lid, heatinsulation between said casing and inner panel, an outlet for emissionof water vapor by diffusion from the relatively warm interior of the lidto the relatively cold cooling element, and pervious duct meansextending from corners of the lid to said opening to conduct water vaporthereto.

2. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigeratorcabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular outer casing having ahinge edge and an opposite edge, a rectangular inner panel closing saidcasing and forming a hollow lid therewith, heat insulation within saidlid, an outlet in said inner panel for emission of water vapor from theinterior of the relatively warm lid to flow by diffusion toward therelatively cold cooling element, said outlet being located closer tosaid hinge edge than to the opposite edge of the lid, an-d duct meansextending from the lid corners adjacent said opposite edge to saidoutlet to conduct water vapor thereto.

3. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigeratorcabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular outer casing, an innerrectangular panel closing said casing to form a hollow lid therewith,heat insulation within the lid, an opening in said panel, a receptaclepositioned in said opening displacing insulation in the lid and havingan outturned flange overlapping a margin of the panel around saidopening, a plurality of outlets in said flange in communication with theinterior of the lid, and a duct leading from remote areas of the lidinterior to said outlets to conduct moisture by diusion to said outlets.

4. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigeratorcabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular outer casing, an innerrectangular panel closing said casing to form a hollow lid therewith,heat insulation within the lid, an opening in said panel, a receptaclepositioned in sai-d opening displacing insulation in the lid and havingan outturned flange overlapping a margin of the panel around saidopening, a plurality of outlets in said flange in communication with theinterior of the lid, and moisture impervious material interposed betweensaid outlets and said insulation.

5. In a closure member for closing an access opening in the top of arefrigerator cabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular panelcooperating with said casing to form a hollow lid, heat insulationwithin said lid, an opening in said panel for emission of water vapor bydiffusion from the relatively warm interior of the lid to the relativelycold interior of the cabinet, and ducts of screening of triangular crosssection leading from corners of said lid to sai-d opening to conduct theWater vapor thereto.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,857,086 Keith May 3, 1932 2,044,600 Williams June 16, 1936 2,368,837Hubacker Feb, 6, 1945 2,451,286 Heritage Oct. 12, 1948

